Pada Gaya at Pithapuram Andhra Pradesh

An Ancient Kukkuteswara Swamy Temple is from "Krutha Yuga." This temple is located in Pitapuram, A.P. India. This temple is very nearer to river Godawari Bank. Here Lord Parama Shiva, has called as Kukkuteswara Swamy (In Sanskrit Kukkutam means cock). In this temple Lord Shiva and Visalakshi Devi are fulfill all the desires.  Here the Sivaling is in cock shape. This temple is very big and spacious, in temple premises we can see the large deep water pond. In this Sivalayam, people attend the Karthika Masam poojas, Maha Siva Rathri special poojas, Gurupournami and Devi Navarathri's etc., 

Kukkuteswara Swamy Temple

The Below Picture Story about the Gayasura. This temple is also known as "PADA GAYA". Because of  Gayasura here the temple on the name Pada Gaya.  A few paople knows the story of Gaya and Gayasura.   Gayasura, a great devotee of Lord Sri Maha Vishnu. He always worshiped Maha Vishnu. One Day Lord Vishnu appeared before him and asked to take the required boon. Gayasura has asked to make his body as so pious, every one who sees him will attain Mukti (salvation) immediately! Vishnu accepted it and disappeared.  Gayasura wondered what he should do. Lord Visnu put, one lotus food down on the stone and pressed. His lotus food down so hard the Gayademon gave up his body.

The Indra has feared this Gayasura Yagna, and he prayed Trimurthis (Lord Brahama, Vishnu and Shiva). Trimurthis has approached to Gayasura in the Brahmins Vesh Bhasha, They first requested him to stop growing as it was against the Law of Karma, Gayasura has not listen his words. Then they told Gayasura, that they are conducting to do a Pavithra Yagna, and they request land from him. Gayasura happily accepted to give the land. And they told to Gayasura, each and every place on earth has bad incidents in it's history, so its unfit for their sacred Yagna.

Gayasura has asked them to solve this solution, and Trimurthees has told to Gayasura, your body will be the best place for Yagna! They supported their logic with the boon he got from Vishnu and his wish in giving salvation to everybody! And told that this can be considered as a pious challenge to him and that after the Yagna was over, he can continue to grow in height and give salvation freely to all the people. He has to face the sins of all people before giving salvation. He has to face many vighnas(obstacles) to fulfill his desire. They told that the capabilities of Gayasura can be pre-tested in helping this Yagna. Gayasura has accepted. That Yagna was conducted on the pious body for seven days. He developed his etheric-body with his power and slept on the earth.

His head was in Gaya, Bihar Dist, it has called as SIRO GAYA.  His Nabhi was in Jajipur, Orissa Dist, it has called as NABHI GAYA. Finally his foot were in Pitapuram A.P. it was called as PADA GAYA.

Lord Trimurtees has started the Yagna., he has bore the fire on his body. He was counting the days with the help of crowing of cocks in the early morning. He became frustrated that day by day because of the fire but not moving his body for the word he gave. On the seventh day Lord Shiva took a form of the cock and crowed at midnight. Gayasura has Considering that it has the sign of morning and he  woke up. Then the yagna was destroyed. Trimurthees has asked Gayasura, "if you couldn't control for seven days how you will be willing to bear the sins of entire humanity for unlimited time by growing in size." Gayasura has realized his mistake and he accepted his fault.  Trimurthis has appeared before him and told that his body will be present as it is and the entire land will become sacred because of him only. He was granted Moksha too and blessed. He entered into samadhi and nirantara tapascharyam and stopped his asinine act of growing in size.



Pada Gaya Pond

Because of this Gayasura story and his Scared Yagna, the people are doing the sradha cermony in this PADA GAYA, SIRO GAYA and NABHI GAYA. The people believes that if the shradha ceremony took place in this areas liberates his anscestors. In this temple you can find out the VISHNU PADAM.


The below Picture is Lord Dattatreya's Swayambu Temple is from ancient, before Sripada Srivallabha's Incarnation this temple is here. The temple also celebrate the Gurupournami and Dattatreya Jayanthi. Agasthya, Valmiky, Vyasha Maharsh has been to this temples.  Pitapuram is famous for ancient temples like Puruhoothika  Sakthi Peetam, Kukkuteswara Swamy Temple, Sri Dattatreya Temple and Sripada Srivallabha Birth Place.  This temple is also called as Dakshina Kasi.

Swayambhu Dattatreya Temple

The below temple is Astadasa Sakthi Peetam of Puruhoothika, After Daksha Yagna, Godess Sathi Devi's Organ(back part) has fell down in this area, because of this place earlier people has called as puruhoothika puram later it has changed as Peetika Puram. Finally It has changed "Pitapuram"(because of the sakthi peetam).  The temple has celebrate Devi Navarathri's in Dasara seasons. In Pitapuram you can find ancient temples like Kunthi Madhava Temple, Sripada Srivallabha Mahasamsthanam etc.,

Puruhoothika Temple - Astadasa Sakthi Peetam